Sepsis can be a life-threatening condition. If the correct measures are not put into place to prevent the development of sepsis, or if the proper treatment is not administered in time, it can be fatal. While being treated by medical professionals, we expect to receive a certain standard of care. But what happens if this is not the case and you or a loved one develops sepsis?
You may be wondering, ‘How much compensation for sepsis negligence could I claim?’.
What You Need To Know:
- The symptoms of sepsis can present differently in children versus adults.
- The Office for National Statistics report that in 2023, sepsis was the underlying cause for 4,276 deaths.
- Compensation for sepsis negligence claims can also cover any associated financial losses you have suffered.
- You may be able to make a claim on behalf of a loved one who suffered sepsis negligence.
If you have any questions about the medical negligence claims process, you can contact one of our helpful advisors. Not only can they offer you free advice on your specific case, but they may also be able to connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel to help you with your claim.
Contact them today:
- Call on 0800 408 7826
- Contact us online
- Ask a question via our live chat
Jump To A Section
- How Much Compensation For Sepsis Negligence Can I Get?
- What Else Can Sepsis Compensation Cover?
- Can I Claim Compensation For Sepsis Negligence?
- What Are Some Sepsis Negligence Examples?
- The Complications Of Sepsis Negligence
- What Is Needed To Claim For Sepsis Compensation?
- No Win No Fee Sepsis Negligence Claims
- Frequently Asked Sepsis Questions
- More Information
How Much Compensation For Sepsis Negligence Can I Get?
How much compensation for sepsis negligence you could get would depend on the severity of the harm you have suffered, what treatment you have needed and whether you also suffered any financial losses.
If you have a successful claim, any physical and psychological suffering you have endured would be compensated under the head of loss known as general damages.
Those calculating this heading could refer to any medical evidence provided to them, as well as the guideline compensation brackets listed within the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Solicitors may use this document to calculate general damages, as it lists compensation guidelines for different types of injuries and illnesses based on their severity.
Please refer to the table below to see some examples of these guideline brackets that may be applicable to sepsis negligence claims. The first entry, however, has not been taken from the JCG.
| Harm Suffered | Severity | Compensation Guidelines | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple types of severe harm with special damages | Severe | Up to £1,000,000+ | Compensation for suffering multiple types of harm that is severe in nature as well as associated financial losses such as medical expenses, care costs and lost earnings. |
| Paralysis | Tetraplegia | £396,140 to £493,000 | The higher end of this bracket is applicable for cases when the ability to communicate and senses has been significantly effected. |
| Paraplegia | £267,340 to £346,890 | Factors such as degree of independence, age and presence of pain will impact the amount awarded. | |
| Brain and Head Injury | Very Severe | £344,150 to £493,000 | Requirement for full-time nursing care with the person suffering with double and incontinence and showing little (if any) meaningful response to their environment. |
| Moderately Severe | £267,340 to £344,150 | Need for constant professional care with a substantial dependence on others. | |
| Bowels | Total loss of natural function | Up to £183,190 | Depending on the person's age, they may also depend on a colostomy |
| Amputation of Arms | Loss of one arm (i) | Not Less Than £167,380 | The arm is amputated at the shoulder. |
| Leg Amputations | Below-Knee Amputation of One Leg | £119,570 to £162,290 | A straightforward amputation with no complications is applicable for the lower end of this bracket. |
| Bladder | Seriously Impaired Control | £78,080 to £97,540 | With some incontinence and pain. |
| Kidney | Loss of one kidney | £37,550 to £54,760 | No harm is suffered to the other kidney |
If you have any questions about how compensation is calculated in medical negligence claims, you can contact one of our friendly advisors.
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Here at HowMuchCompensation.co.uk our expert advisors are on hand 24 hours a day 7 days a week to assess your compensation claim. Should you require free legal advice we can connect you to a specialist solicitor.
What Else Can Sepsis Compensation Cover?
Sepsis compensation could also cover any associated financial losses you have suffered. These would be compensated under the head of loss known as special damages.
However, it is important to note that you could only claim compensation for the actual harm you suffered due to medical negligence, but not the original illness you suffered with.
Some examples of special damages could include:
- A loss of earnings – for any time you have taken off work to recover, or have taken off to care for a loved one who contracted sepsis.
- Medical expenses – this could include costs for private treatments or prescriptions.
- Travel expenses – such as taxi fares to and from medical appointments.
- Care costs – this can include professional or gratuitous care costs. It can also cover any childcare costs if you have been unable to look after your child.
- Rehabilitation fees – such as for physiotherapy.
- Home or vehicle adaptations – to cope with any permanent disabilities the sepsis has caused, such as installing a stair lift, for example.
If you wish to claim compensation for any financial losses, you will need to provide evidence of them. This could be in the form of:
- Payslips.
- Invoices.
- Bank statements.
- Receipts.
If you are unsure how much compensation for sepsis negligence you may be able to claim, you can contact our advisors today to discuss your particular case.
Can I Claim Compensation For Sepsis Negligence?
Yes, you could claim compensation for sepsis negligence if you can prove a medical professional, through negligent actions, caused you avoidable harm in the prevention, treatment or ongoing care for sepsis.
All medical professionals have a duty of care to provide their patients with the correct standard of care when treating them. This duty of care applies to doctors, nurses, GPs, etc., regardless of what medical environment they work in (a hospital, GP surgery, etc.) or if they work under the public or private healthcare sector.
Some steps medical professionals could take to help prevent sepsis negligence from occurring include:
- Practising good hygiene, such as regularly washing their hands.
- Recognising the early signs of infection and treating it to prevent sepsis from developing.
- Ensuring the correct treatment for sepsis is provided without delay.
Will Developing Sepsis Always Be Due To Negligence?
Developing sepsis may not always be due to negligence. Some examples of when a patient may develop sepsis at no fault of a medical professional include:
- Resistant bacteria – Some germs don’t respond to standard antibiotics, making infections harder to control.
- Unpreventable infections – certain infections can develop without a healthcare provider’s error, and sepsis may follow.
- Normal immune response – sepsis can be the result of the body overreacting to an infection, even when the immune system is functioning as expected.
However, medical professionals should still take all necessary steps to prevent, identify the early signs of, and treat sepsis. If they fail to do so, you may be able to claim compensation for any unnecessary harm you or a loved one has suffered.
Contact our advisors today to see how we could help if you or a loved one has contracted sepsis.
What Are Some Sepsis Negligence Examples?
Some examples of sepsis negligence claims include misdiagnosis cases, inadequate post-operative care, and cases involving failure to monitor. Below, we have broken each of these down into more detail to help you understand when a medical negligence claim could potentially be made:
- Misdiagnosis – A GP failed to spot the signs of pneumonia in an elderly patient. Therefore, no antibiotics or referrals for X-rays were made. The patient got so progressively worse, that the sepsis developed, later leading into septic shock and requiring a surgical amputation of their leg.
- Inadequate post-operative care – After surgery, you develop an infection in the surgical site wound. The doctor provides you with antibiotics. However, the wrong antibiotics are administered and due to the infection not being treated correctly, the patient goes on to develop sepsis.
- Failure to monitor – While staying in the hospital, the medical professionals on your ward fail to monitor the early signs and symptoms that you are suffering from sepsis. This causes the sepsis to worsen and leads to organ damage.
If your specific incident is not listed here, this doesn’t mean you cannot claim. Contact a member of our advisory team today to discuss your circumstances and see whether you may have a valid compensation claim. They can also help answer any questions you may have, such as, ‘How much compensation for sepsis negligence could be awarded?’.
The Complications Of Sepsis Negligence
The complications of sepsis negligence could range from confusion, amputations, and sometimes death.
Some examples of short-term effects of sepsis include:
- Delirium
- Tiredness
- Lack of appetite
- Temporary hospital stay
Some examples of long-term risks of sepsis include:
- Amputations
- Organ damage
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Paralysis due to nerve damage
In severe cases, sepsis can be fatal. This is why it is important for medical professionals to take the necessary steps to prevent the development of sepsis and treat it accordingly.
Contact our advisors today to discuss your or your loved one’s circumstances to see how we may be able to help you.
What Is Needed To Claim For Sepsis Compensation?
Sufficient supporting evidence is needed to claim sepsis compensation. This evidence will need to show how a medical professional was negligent and the severity of the harm you suffered. Some examples could include:
- Your medical records, detailing your sepsis diagnosis and any treatments you have received.
- The contact details of any witnesses to your treatment.
- A diary detailing your physical and psychological symptoms.
- The results of any tests you were given, such as blood test results.
In addition to this, you must ensure your claim is started within the medical negligence claims limitation period. This is generally 3 years, per the Limitation Act 1980, and can run from the date:
- The medical negligence took place.
- The date you first reasonably became aware that the harm you suffered was caused by negligent medical care. This is otherwise referred to as the date of knowledge.
Exceptions apply to this time limit for those under the age of 18 and those lacking the mental capacity to make their own claim. In these cases, you may also be able to claim on a loved one’s behalf by acting as a litigation friend.
To learn more about making a sepsis negligence claim on behalf of yourself or a loved one, you can contact one of our friendly advisors.
No Win No Fee Sepsis Negligence Claims
No Win No Fee sepsis negligence claims could be made with one of the expert solicitors on our panel, provided that you have a valid case. The solicitors on our panel have years of experience working on various types of medical negligence claims, and could help you with yours by offering their services on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement. With this in place, you could experience:
- Not having to pay for their services up front.
- Not having to pay for their services as the claim progresses.
- Having nothing to pay for the services they have completed, should the claim not be a success.
However, should you successfully be awarded compensation, your solicitor will deduct a legally limited percentage of this as their success fee. This legal limit is in place to ensure you receive the majority of your payout.
In addition to providing their services on a No Win No Fee basis, they could also help with:
- Gathering supporting evidence to strengthen the claim.
- Ensuring the claim is filed within the time limit.
- Handling all correspondence with the defending party.
- Negotiating a compensation settlement.
- Organising any rehabilitation needed.
To learn more about how one of the solicitors on our panel could help you, you can contact our advisors. They can also help answer any questions you still may have, such as ‘How much compensation for sepsis negligence could I claim?’.
To speak to a friendly member of our team today, you can:
- Call on 0800 408 7826
- Contact us online
- Ask a question via our live chat
Frequently Asked Sepsis Questions
Below, we answer some frequently asked questions regarding sepsis:
The Signs And Symptoms Of Sepsis
The signs and symptoms of sepsis can vary between children and adults.
In children, the symptoms can present as:
- Being sleepier than normal
- A weak, high-pitched cry that’s not like their usual crying
- A rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it.
In adults, the symptoms can present as:
- Slurred speech, not making sense and acting confused.
- Difficulty breathing, breathing very fast or breathlessness
- Grey, blue, pale or blotchy skin, tongue or lips.
How Is Sepsis Treated?
Sepsis is treated by being provided antibiotics within 1 to 6 hours of arriving at the hospital. It needs to be treated at the hospital immediately as it can quickly worsen in condition. You may need other treatment depending on your symptoms, including:
- Surgery to remove areas of infection.
- Treatment in an intensive care unit.
- A ventilator to help you breathe.
Who Has An Increased Risk Of Developing Sepsis?
Those who have an increased risk of developing sepsis include:
- People over the age of 75
- Babies under the age of 1
- People with a genetic disorder that affects their immune system.
- Those with diabetes
- Women who have just given birth, had an abortion or had a miscarriage
- People who have recently had a serious illness or surgery.
Can Sepsis Be Prevented?
It is not always possible to prevent sepsis, but there are steps you can take to help prevent infections that could lead to sepsis, such as:
- Care for and clean any wounds
- Keep up to date with vaccines
- Wash your hands regularly
- Take antibiotics correctly
More Information
Learn more about the other types of claims we could help with:
- Guidance on claiming for a dispensing error in a pharmacy.
- See if you could claim compensation for a birth injury.
- Advice on claiming compensation for pressure sores.
Additional resources:
- See if you could receive statutory sick pay from Gov.UK
- Learn about good medical practice from the General Medical Council.
- Check the quality of care of a hospital with the Care Quality Commission.
Thank you for reading this guide on how much compensation for sepsis negligence could be claimed. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our advisors.
